Prime Minister Calls For Peaceful Election

Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer has unequivocally condemned the acts of violence being perpetrated during the run up to the general election.

The head of state, said firmly, the United Progressive Party Government, “has taken no comfort in any of this. Precisely because of the disposition to arson that has marked previous elections”

The Prime Minister comments came in wake of the rein of terror that has been unleashed on victims of political malice such as vandalism, slander, violence and arson.

“This current scenario is particularly troubling because arson in a pre-election period is not new to this country.”

Prime Minister Spencer reminded that nation that a few months before the 1999 General Election, Antigua was also struck by a series of fires.

The Prime Minister detailed that “the premises of Tim Hector's Outlet newspaper were torched after the paper reported that the then government had secretly imported a shipment of grenades, launchers, ammunition, pistols, tear-gas guns, gas masks and other riot equipment.”

He added further that just days after that, a fire broke out at the Ministry of Finance.

Additionally, around the same time, “arsonists set fire to a stage erected for a UPP rally.”

The act of violence did not end there, two months before the 1999 elections, fire destroyed the prison in St. John's.

Already the Antigua Christian Council and the Police High Command has issued plea for a violence free election.

Prime Minister Spencer welcome the call noting it is “quite timely, and quite important.”

But, while the UPP candidates have no hesitation in committing to the Christian Council's Code of Conduct.

“It is regrettable that in a statement broadcast on Sunday, the leader of the Opposition party categorically rejected the Christian Council's call for all election candidates to sign a pledge embodying a code of conduct for the elections,” Prime Minister Spencer said.

“I consider it critical that all public figures, and all others who have our country at heart, should readily endorse any initiative that can reduce tensions and disruptions in the election campaign.”